Research continues to reveal surprising ways everyday habits can shape not just our mood or social life but our long-term brain health. One large, long-term study of more than 30,000 adults in the United States shows that regularly helping others — through volunteering or simple acts of support — is linked with slower cognitive decline as people age.
Helping Others and Brain Aging: What the Study Found
Researchers from The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Massachusetts Boston analyzed data collected over two decades from adults age 51 and older. They looked at how often people reported helping others outside the home — whether through formal volunteering or informal support like helping neighbors, friends, or family — and how that related to changes in their cognitive abilities over time.
The key findings include:
- Slower cognitive decline: People who helped others regularly had about 15 %–20 % slower age-related cognitive decline compared with those who did not engage in helping behaviors.
- Moderate time commitment matters most: The strongest and most consistent benefits were seen in people who spent approximately two to four hours per week helping others.
- Both formal and informal help counts: Benefits appeared whether the help was structured (like scheduled community volunteering) or unstructured (like assisting neighbors or relatives).
- Sustained habit matters: The cognitive advantages were cumulative — the longer people stayed involved in helping activities, the more likely they were to experience slower cognitive aging.
Why Helping Can Help Your Brain
Though the study was observational (meaning it shows strong links but can’t prove cause and effect), experts suggest several reasons why helping others might protect cognitive health:
- Social engagement: Even informal helping usually involves interaction with others, which stimulates the brain and strengthens social networks — both tied to better mental health.
- Purposeful activity: Regularly contributing to others’ lives may enhance a sense of meaning and fulfillment, boosting emotional well-being and motivation.
- Stress buffering: Prior research points to benefits for stress reduction and inflammation regulation from social support and volunteerism — both factors linked to brain health.
How Much Helping Is “Enough”?
The study found that about two to four hours per week of helping other people — a small slice of your week — was enough to notice significant differences in cognitive aging compared to non-helpers.
That amount seems manageable for many people and suggests that helping others doesn’t require a huge time investment to be meaningful for brain health.
What Counts as Helping?
Helping others doesn’t have to mean formal volunteering (though that certainly qualifies). Activities that were linked with cognitive benefits include:
✔ Assisting neighbors or local friends
✔ Running errands for someone who needs help
✔ Caring for a friend or family member
✔ Participating in community service activities
✔ Helping children or grandchildren with tasks
Both the structured and unstructured forms of help were tied to slower cognitive decline — and may be especially valuable for older adults as part of a fulfilling lifestyle.
What This Means for You
These findings suggest that regularly helping others can be a brain-healthy habit that contributes to longer-term cognitive resilience as you age. It’s not just good for the people you help — it can be good for your own brain, too.
If you’re looking for ways to stay mentally sharp while making a positive impact in your community or circle, building regular helping activities into your schedule — whether formal or informal — might be a simple and rewarding strategy.
Takeaway
Adding a few hours of helping others to your weekly routine may support healthier aging by slowing cognitive decline. You don’t need to volunteer full-time; small, sustained acts of help and connection can make a meaningful difference in your brain health over time.